ETV 10 News stock photo by Jeff Barrett
By Pete Riggs
The Carbon High School girls’ tennis team competed at the region tournament on Sept. 21. The tournament was hosted at the Liberty Park Tennis complex in Salt Lake City.
At first singles, Jewelianna Nielsen played three matches, winning two of them and qualifying as the fifth seed from Region 14. Her first match was against an old foe Crista Galecki from Wasatch Academy. Nielsen took the first set 6-4 and was leading 4-2 in the second, when Galecki came storming back to win the set 6-4 and take the third 6-2. This loss forced Nielsen into the losers bracket, with a sudden death situation. Fortunately, Nielsen was able to best the first singles from both Providence Hall and Gunnison to secure fifth place and the corresponding state qualification.
At second singles, Nicole Swasey continued to improve her play, but lost to the region #1 seed Juab by score of 0-6, 0-6. She then played against Wasatch Academy and lost 1-6, 2-6 to end her season. Swasey has been steadily improving. She is only a second-year player and she has been up against girls with twice the experience or more throughout the season.
At third singles, Ana Maria Olivas played as the eight seed in region versus the first seed. She lost that first round 0-6, 0-6. She then went on to face the #5 seed from Maeser Prep. She played a great match and barely lost by the score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, losing the final and deciding set in a tiebreak. Olivas is a first-year player and we are super excited at the progress she’s made throughout the year.
At first doubles, we had a couple of athletic, first-year players. Alex Cartwright and Ka’auna Harrison teamed up and again pushed their competition during both rounds that they played. Carbon came into the tournament as the #6 seed and played Delta at the #3 seed first. The score of that match was 2-6, 3-6. They then went on to play the #7 seed Maeser and lost again, 2-6, 2-6
Finally, at second doubles was the pair of Alheli Pendleton and Kaydance Scoville. They were also ranked #6 in region and played the first match against #3 Wasatch Academy, which they lost 0-6, 1-6. Tennysen Coon came in to play for Kaydance during the second match of the day against Providence Hall. Carbon was able to pull the second round victory out by the score of 7-6, 7-5. They lost against Maeser Prep in the final match of the day by the score of 3-6, 3-6.